Mowing implement

Claim 2

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter much greater than said width of the housing, the spacing between said driving gears being such that said circular paths do not overlap, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler gear forming the outer race of its associated idler bearing means.

Claim 3

A mowing implement according to claim 1 wherein each idler bearing means includes an inner race formed integrally with said housing.

Claim 4

A mowing implement according to claim 1 including an idler shaft for each idler gear, each idler shaft being permanently fixed to said housing and each idler bearing means including an inner race formed in an associated idler shaft.

Claim 5

A mowing implement as defined in claim 1 wherein each idler bearing means includes an inner race ring sandwiched between and permanently secured to opposing portions of said housing.

Claim 6

A mowing implement as defined in claim 4 wherein there are at least four idler gears in each set thereof.

Claim 7

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler gear forming the outer race of its associated idler bearing means.

Claim 8

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler gear forming the outer race of its associated idler bearing means.

Claim 9

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler bearing means including an inner race formed integrally with said housing.

Claim 10

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler bearing means including an inner race formed integrally with said housing.

Claim 11

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, an idler shaft for each idler gear, each idler shaft being permanently fixed to said housing and each idler bearing means including an inner race formed in an associated idler shaft.

Claim 12

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, an idler shaft for each idler gear, each idler shaft being permanently fixed to said housing and each idler bearing means including an inner race formed in an associated idler shaft.

Claim 13

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler bearing means including an inner race ring sandwiched between and permanently secured to opposing portions of said housing.

Claim 14

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: an elongate housing having a selected narrow width so as easily to pass beneath the crop being cut; a series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly through said housing and rolling bearing means journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and idler rolling bearing means journalling each idler gear for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing, each idler bearing means including an inner race ring sandwiched between and permanently secured to opposing portions of said housing.

Claim 15

A mowing implement as defined in claim 8 wherein there are at least four idler gears in each set thereof.

Claim 16

A mowing implement as defined in claim 7 wherein there are at least four idler gears in each set thereof.

Claim 17

A mowing implement as defined in claim 1 wherein there are at least four idler gears in each set thereof.

Claim 18

A mowing implement as defined in claim 8 wherein there are at least four idler gears in each set thereof.

Claim 19

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: a straight line series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of an even number of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears, there being at least four idler gears in each set; said housing having an opening on its upper side at each location of a driving gear; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly therefrom to present an upper end concentric with an associated opening in said housing and bearing means rotatably journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing and concentric with respect to said associated opening whereby to provide said uniformly spaced relation between said driving gears, said housing comprising upper and lower sections which are permanently joined and including first portions fixed to said housing at said openings which are aligned in a straight line with each other and which fix said axes with respect to the housing, said idler gears being identical to each other and having a diameter such that each set thereof spans between adjacent driving gears with all of said idler gears of the set being in mesh and with the opposite end idler gears of the set being in mesh with such adjacent driving gears; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and support means connecting each idler gear to said housing for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to the housing, each support means comprising idler rolling bearing means and including a second portion fixed to said housing, said second fixed portions being in straight line alignment with each other and with said first fixed portions whereby said housing and fixed portions as an integral unit establishes and maintains both the straight line alignment and spacing of all of said axes.

Claim 20

A mowing implement adapted to be transported in closely overlying relation to ground surface while cutting a swath of standing crop, comprising in combination: a straight line series of gears disposed within said housing in serially meshing arrangement, said series of gears comprising a plurality of driving gears disposed in uniformly spaced relation and a set of an even number of idler gears disposed between each adjacent pair of driving gears, there being at least four idler gears in each set; said housing having an opening on its upper side at each location of a driving gear; a shaft connected with each driving gear and projecting upwardly therefrom to present an upper end concentric with an associated opening in said housing and bearing means rotatably journalling each such shaft for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said housing and concentric with respect to said associated opening whereby to provide said uniformly spaced relation between said driving gears, said housing comprising upper and lower sections which are permanently joined and including first portions fixed to said housing at said openings which are aligned in a straight line with each other and which fix said axes with respect to the housing, said idler gears being identical to each other and having a diameter such that each set thereof spans between adjacent driving gears with all of said idler gears of the set being in mesh and with the opposite end idler gears of the set being in mesh with such adjacent driving gears; a member fixed to the upper end of each shaft and sweeping a circular path having a diameter greater than said width of the housing, a cutter carried by each member and projecting therefrom such that each cutter sweeps a second circular path which overlaps the path swept by an adjacent cutter; and support means connecting each idler gear to said housing for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to the housing, each support means comprising idler rolling bearing means and including a second portion fixed to said housing, said second fixed portions being in straight line alignment with each other and with said first fixed portions whereby said housing and fixed portions as an integral unit establishes and maintains both the straight line alignment and spacing of all of said axes.

Claim 21

A mowing implement as defined in claim 14 wherein each second fixed portion defines the inner race of an idler rolling bearing means.

Claim 22

A mowing implement as defined in claim 15 wherein each idler gear forms the outer race of an idler rolling bearing means.

Claim 23

A mowing implement as defined in claim 16 wherein each inner race is defined by inwardly deformed portions of the upper and lower sections of the housing.

Claim 24

A mowing implement as defined in claim 16 wherein each inner race is formed by a ring sandwiched between and permanently secured to the upper and lower sections of said housing.

Claim 25

A mowing implement as defined in claim 17 wherein each inner race is formed by an idler shaft permanently fixed to said housing.

Claim 26

A mowing implement as defined in claim 15 wherein each inner race is defined by inwardly deformed portions of the upper and lower sections of the housing.

Claim 27

A mowing implement as defined in claim 15 wherein each inner face is formed by a ring sandwiched between and permanently secured to the upper and lower sections of said housing.

Claim 28

A mowing implement as defined in claim 15 wherein each inner race is formed by an idler shaft permanently fixed to said housing.

Claim 29

A mowing implement as defined in claim 15 wherein said first and second fixed portions are integral with said housing sections.